Ostertag hopeful for another comeback

Former Kansas University basketball center Greg Ostertag is thinking about making a comeback ... again.

The 37-year-old Ostertag, who worked out in the summer of 2009 in hopes of landing an invitation to an NBA team’s preseason camp but never received an offer, on Thursday worked out with the Dallas Mavericks’ Alexis Ajinca at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

The Dallas Morning News reported that the 7-foot-2 Ostertag has no chance of gaining an invitation to Mavericks’ camp because the team already has four centers.

However, the paper said he may be close to earning a spot as a player and/or assistant coach with the Texas Legends, who will play in Frisco as part of the NBA Development League.

Legends co-owner Donnie Nelson said it’s possible Ostertag will join the team. The big man, who has been out of the NBA for four years, averaged 4.6 points and 5.5 rebounds for his NBA career. He spent nine seasons with Utah, then was with Sacramento for one year before returning to the Jazz for the 2005-06 season, after which he retired.

The Legends are coached by Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman.

Ostertag told the Journal-World last summer of his desire to return to the NBA.

“I just miss it,” he said at the time. “Watching the playoffs last year got me excited. My wife said, ‘Why not go try it again?’ One day I said, ‘What the heck. I’ll get in shape and get back on the court and give it a try.’ I’ve got nothing to lose.”

Ostertag lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., with wife Heidi and children Cody, Bailey and Shelby. He helped KU to a berth in the 1993 Final Four before moving to the NBA where he made $48,251,390 total.

A source close to Ostertag said his decision ultimately may come down to whether the big man wants to prove himself in the NBA’s D-League in hopes of landing a spot on a team sometime during the season. In the past, he has enjoyed watching son, Cody, play ball. He is a junior-to-be at Scottsdale Christian High.